This marks the seventh year we have gaggled and headed west. Bruce E and James Andes arrive on the afternoon of Friday June 29 and we took a drive up to Mount Evans, the highest paved road in North America, at 14k. As we arrived on top of the mountain, it began snowing. A momma sheep and her two young ones came up top to lick the mineral salts from the stone. I snapped some photos.
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559684733QaHYJE
We spent the night at my place in Evergreen and this morning (Saturday, June 30) we are heading to Steamboat Springs to join some local pilots.
Launch is above 10k. Run Forrest, run!
More later.
Trip West 2007
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Trip West 2007
'Spark
Steamboat Springs to POTM
On Saturday, we flew Steamboat Springs.
This is a ski resort site and access is restricted to vehicles with special permits.
We were fortunate to catch a ride with one of the local pilots.
Launch is a flat slope launch at 10.3k msl and the LZ is in a small park at 6.8k msl.
Cloudbase was 21.5k msl and lift was abundant and not too gnarly.
We all flew and enjoyed ourselves. Should've had more o2. I hadn't flown my U2 in eight months, so I was pretty happy (read 'relieved') with myself when I nailed my landing, center LZ
Afterwards, we drove to the S. side of the Point of the Mountain, (near Draper Utah) under a golden full moon, arriving about 3am. I launched the PG as the sun rose and the moon set and had the ridge to myself for awhile before the winds died. Winds are light now and we are refreshing our Wx data, eating breakfast and contemplating our next move, which may be to fly Slide Mountain (Tahoe) tomorrow morning and shoot for a glass off flight at Black Cap (Lakeview OR) in the evening.
My camera interface is hosed, so it may be a day or two before I can post the pix.
More Later.
'Spark (using Bruce's account)
This is a ski resort site and access is restricted to vehicles with special permits.
We were fortunate to catch a ride with one of the local pilots.
Launch is a flat slope launch at 10.3k msl and the LZ is in a small park at 6.8k msl.
Cloudbase was 21.5k msl and lift was abundant and not too gnarly.
We all flew and enjoyed ourselves. Should've had more o2. I hadn't flown my U2 in eight months, so I was pretty happy (read 'relieved') with myself when I nailed my landing, center LZ
Afterwards, we drove to the S. side of the Point of the Mountain, (near Draper Utah) under a golden full moon, arriving about 3am. I launched the PG as the sun rose and the moon set and had the ridge to myself for awhile before the winds died. Winds are light now and we are refreshing our Wx data, eating breakfast and contemplating our next move, which may be to fly Slide Mountain (Tahoe) tomorrow morning and shoot for a glass off flight at Black Cap (Lakeview OR) in the evening.
My camera interface is hosed, so it may be a day or two before I can post the pix.
More Later.
'Spark (using Bruce's account)
Steamboat Springs Flying Pix
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559684733QaHYJE
Enroute to Reno.
More later.
_________________
'Spark
http://community.webshots.com/user/spar ... ost-recent
Enroute to Reno.
More later.
_________________
'Spark
http://community.webshots.com/user/spar ... ost-recent
Lakeview
On Sunday, we diverted to Lakeview due to high winds at Tahoe. Stopped at Doherty Slide and observed winds > 35mph. Found a nail in one of the trailer tires, so we unloaded the Highlander and limped into Lakeview.
On Monday we went to Sugar Hill. I snapped a pic of a mature bald eagle.
Mark Gardner flew to Lakeview and took second place in the 'Trophy Dash' comp.
After Mark launched, winds ramped up significantly and we bagged our gliders and headed to Black Cap (overlooking Lakeview) hoping for a glass off. Bruce flew the Falcon and I flew the PG. No glass-off.
The local folks had a meal for us at Hunters Hot Springs campground.
Bob Gillisse drove over from the Medford area to fly with us on Tuesday.
Winds are lighter today.
More later.
'Spark
On Monday we went to Sugar Hill. I snapped a pic of a mature bald eagle.
Mark Gardner flew to Lakeview and took second place in the 'Trophy Dash' comp.
After Mark launched, winds ramped up significantly and we bagged our gliders and headed to Black Cap (overlooking Lakeview) hoping for a glass off. Bruce flew the Falcon and I flew the PG. No glass-off.
The local folks had a meal for us at Hunters Hot Springs campground.
Bob Gillisse drove over from the Medford area to fly with us on Tuesday.
Winds are lighter today.
More later.
'Spark
Sugar Hill, Black Cap, Woodrat
On Tuesday (7/3) we flew Sugar hill with Bob Gillisee. Conditions were lighter than Monday - high pressure. I was able to get up and across the pass behind launch but didn't find much afterward, landing just S of New Pine Creek. Bruce made it just shy of Lakeview. In the evening we flew Black Cap, but still no glass-off.
On Wednesday, winds were east and we drove to Woodrat, launching about 5pm and enjoying relatively smooth air and climbs to 1k over. We spent the night at Bob G's, near Medford.
We haven't decided on our next move. Probably north to Bend, Oregon and a site named Pine Mountain.
I've posted more photos from Lakeview and Woodrat at
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559684733QaHYJE
Including a few of the 'Gardinator'.
More later.
On Wednesday, winds were east and we drove to Woodrat, launching about 5pm and enjoying relatively smooth air and climbs to 1k over. We spent the night at Bob G's, near Medford.
We haven't decided on our next move. Probably north to Bend, Oregon and a site named Pine Mountain.
I've posted more photos from Lakeview and Woodrat at
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559684733QaHYJE
Including a few of the 'Gardinator'.
More later.
'Spark
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Ashley Groves
- Posts: 247
- Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:01 am
Ray Berger, local Oregonian, tool first place with a time of 62 minutes. I understand that Ray flew 140 miles yesterday. Hey Ashley, Ken Muscio inaugurated a new E-facing site on Wednesday and flew some distance to the Abert Rim.Ashley Groves wrote:Congratulations to the Gardinator! There can be some tough competition with a home court advantage out there.
Who won first? Just curious if I know the pilot.
Ashley
We drove from Medford (via Crater Lakes) to Bend Oregon yesterday and I flew Pine Mountain. Winds on launch were 25+, so I was the only one in our gang to fly it. Surprisingly, I made the 12:1 upwind glide to our chosen LZ. Pine Mountain is a nice site ... probably better in less wind
.We are almost to Boise Idaho.
I posted some new pix of Crater Lake and Pine Mountain.
more later.
'Spark (using Bruce's account)
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Ashley Groves
- Posts: 247
- Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:01 am
We spent Friday night in Boise and got a tour of Lisa's glass studio. Saturday we drove to King Mtn, but did not fly due to the overdevelopment.
On Sunday, I took a morning sled on the PG, then we went back up for an evening glass-off. I flew the PG and took pix. Even at 6:30pm, the lift was a bit 'sporty' for me.
This morning, we went up for early flight from the Coyote launch. I flew the PG and top landed to drive the truck down. Winds backed off and Bruce and James took sledrides.
The contest starts on Wednesday.
I posted some more pix at
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559684733QaHYJE
More later.
'Spark
On Sunday, I took a morning sled on the PG, then we went back up for an evening glass-off. I flew the PG and took pix. Even at 6:30pm, the lift was a bit 'sporty' for me.
This morning, we went up for early flight from the Coyote launch. I flew the PG and top landed to drive the truck down. Winds backed off and Bruce and James took sledrides.
The contest starts on Wednesday.
I posted some more pix at
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559684733QaHYJE
More later.
'Spark
We had a great time at the King meet. We arrived in Evergreen (and internet connectivity) late last night.
It was a good time. I flew 14 of 17 days at sites including:
Steamboat Springs, Point of the Mountain, Lakeview (Sugar Hill, Black Cap), Woodrat (Ruch, OR), Pine Mountain (Bend, OR), the King Mtn launches, and Lookout, CO
This morning we (Bruce, James and I) flew Lookout, overlooking Golden, CO. I was lucky enough to core a fatty in my PG and snapped some more photos.
I posted another eighty or so pix at
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559684733QaHYJE
That is all I have to say.
It was a good time. I flew 14 of 17 days at sites including:
Steamboat Springs, Point of the Mountain, Lakeview (Sugar Hill, Black Cap), Woodrat (Ruch, OR), Pine Mountain (Bend, OR), the King Mtn launches, and Lookout, CO
This morning we (Bruce, James and I) flew Lookout, overlooking Golden, CO. I was lucky enough to core a fatty in my PG and snapped some more photos.
I posted another eighty or so pix at
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559684733QaHYJE
That is all I have to say.
'Spark
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hepcat1989
- Posts: 684
- Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:15 pm
Local King Meet News Report on KMHGC
http://www.kpvi.com/Global/category.asp ... =menu546_4
You'll need to click on the video link and fast forward through the ad and sports short, but it is worth it.
You'll need to click on the video link and fast forward through the ad and sports short, but it is worth it.
'Spark